Rashida Tlaib, a Democratic Representative from Michigan, became the 26th member of the US House of Representatives in history to be censured on Tuesday after 22 Democrats joined almost all Republicans to vote to punish the one Palestinian-American Congressman for criticisms that, according to the resolution, were tantamount “to calling for the destruction of Israel.”
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich. ) was censured for the 26th time in the history of the US House of Representatives on Tuesday after 22 Democrats joined nearly all Republicans in voting to punish the only Palestinian-American in Congress for criticisms that, according to the resolution, amounted to” calling for Israel’s destruction.”
After Tlaib posted a video next week that featured the chant “from the river to the sea,” which Jewish organizations and the Anti-Defamation League claim is racist, the censure attempted to condemn her on paper. According to Yousef Munayyer, a Israeli Israeli citizen who oversees the Palestine/Israel Program at the Egyptian Center in Washington, DC, “going from the river to the sea” is no anti-Semitic, but rather” a continuation of the fragmentation of Arab land and people by Israeli occupation and discrimination.” Similar to this, Tlaib, one of Congress’s most ardent supporters of a ceasefire, has defended the slogan as an “aspirational call for freedom” for Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.
Tlaib accused her coworkers of purposefully distorting her words before Tuesday’s vote. No government is immune to criticism, she declared from the House floor. The notion that criticizing Israel’s government is racist establishes a very risky precedent and has been used to stifle numerous voices in our country fighting for human rights.
Palestinians are not disposable, I ca n’t believe I have to say this. We are all people, just like everyone else.
Since I am the sole Arab American serving in Congress, my viewpoint is more important than ever. I wo n’t allow anyone to silence me or misinterpret what I say.
I’m from Detroit, where I developed the ability to speak the truth to authority. pic. twitter.com/bXhGPCcKat
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib ( @RepRashida ) November 7, 2023
However, none of it was sufficient to persuade her coworkers. Tlaib was officially reprimanded by the House by a 234 to 188 vote. The censure, the second attempt to punish Tlaib since October 7, served as a sort of apotheosis for Republicans who, ever since she was elected to Congress, have almost made it their sport to disparage the Michigan Democrat.
Tlaib remarked from the House floor,” It’s a shame my coworkers are more concerned with silencing me than they are with saving lives.” ” Some of them have demonstrated to me that Palestinian lives are meaningless to them, but I continue to disapprove of their words and deeds.”
This week, the death toll in Gaza increased to over 10,000. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich. ) was censured for the 26th time in the history of the US House of Representatives on Tuesday after 22 Democrats joined nearly all Republicans in voting to punish the only Palestinian-American in Congress for criticisms that, according to the resolution, amounted to” calling for Israel’s destruction.” on.
Rashida Tlaib, a Democratic Representative from Michigan, became the 26th member of the US House of Representatives in history to be censured on Tuesday after 22 Democrats joined almost all Republicans to vote to punish the one Palestinian-American Congressman for criticisms that, according to the resolution, were tantamount “to calling for the destruction of Israel.”
Jose Luis Magana/AP. Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) on Tuesday became the 26th member in the history of the US House of Representatives to be censured after 22 Democrats joined nearly all Republicans in voting to punish the only Palestinian-American in Congress for criticisms, the resolution claimed, were tantamount to “calling for the destruction of the state of Israel.”. On paper, the censure sought to condemn Tlaib after she posted a video last week that contained the chant “from the river to the sea,” a phrase Jewish groups, as well as the Anti-Defamation League, say is antisemitic. Yousef Munayyer, a Palestinian citizen of Israel who leads the Palestine/Israel Program at the Arab Center Washington, DC, has argued that “from the river to the sea” is not antisemitic but a “rejoinder to the fragmentation of Palestinian land and people by Israeli occupation and discrimination.” Similarly, Tlaib, one of Congress’ most impassioned proponents of a ceasefire, has defended the slogan as an “aspirational call for freedom” for Palestinians under Israeli occupation.. Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, Tlaib accused her colleagues of deliberately distorting her words. “No government is beyond criticism,” she said from the House floor. “The idea that criticizing the government of Israel is antisemitic sets a very dangerous precedent, and it’s been used to silence diverse voices speaking up for human rights across our nation.”. “I can’t believe I have to say this but Palestinian people are not disposable. We are human beings, just like anyone else.”. I am the only Palestinian American serving in Congress, and my perspective is needed here now more than ever. I will not be silenced and I will not let anyone distort my words.. I’m from Detroit, where I learned to speak truth to power, even if my voice shakes. pic.twitter.com/bXhGPCcKat. — Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) November 7, 2023. But none of it was enough to convince her colleagues. The House voted to formally reprimand Tlaib by a 234 to 188 tally. The censure, the second effort to punish Tlaib since October 7, came as something of an apotheosis for Republicans who have practically made it a sport to villainize the Michigan Democrat since she was elected to Congress.. “It’s a shame my colleagues are more focused on silencing me than they are on saving lives,” Tlaib said from the House floor. “Many of them have shown me that Palestinian lives simply do not matter to them but I still do not police their rhetoric or actions.”. The death toll in Gaza rose to over 10,000 this week.
